Some of us who are evangelicals seem to think that because we���re teaching the Bible we can bore people with it. And that there���s something wrong with the audience if they go to sleep on us. I know a great Hebrew term for that line of thinking: Hogwash!

A good communicator is interesting. Look at how Solomon put it: ���The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly��� (Ecclesiastes 12:10). Did you notice, ���delightful words���? The preacher sought to find that which would bring emotional delight. How about that! I take that to mean he���s looking for clarity as well as an interesting, even captivating use of terms.

I heard a true story that theologian Carl F. H. Henry told as he spoke to a group of radio broadcasters. The late Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr decided to write out his theological position, stating exactly where he stood philosophically. Being a profound thinker (and a bit verbose), it took him many sheets of paper to express himself. Upon completion of his masterwork, he realized it needed to be evaluated by a mind much more practical than his own. He sent the material to a minister whom he knew had a practical mind and a pastoral heart. With great pains the clergyman slogged through the ream of paper, trying desperately to grasp the meaning. When he finally finished, he worked up the nerve to write a brief, yet absolutely candid, note in reply. It read:

My dear Dr. Niebuhr:
I understand every word you have written, but I do not understand one sentence.

Please . . . stop and think about the words you���re using. As well as the sentences you���re stringing together. Go to war against clich��s and ���Christian-ese��� bromides no one understands���or cares to. If you don���t, you���re boring! And so am I.

When people listen to us, they should want to embrace the truth we���re teaching. If they reject it, however, it should not be because of our delivery. Being an interesting and clear communicator means you have thought through a passage, and you are serving the meal so that anybody can understand it. That includes the raw pagan who just walked in and sits in the back.

If you���re talking code language, you���re talking to yourself and the three seminary graduates that are in your congregation. You���re boring. Don���t go there.

                             ���Chuck